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Sig 226 and 220

BigAl23

BigAl23

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Was looking at a 226 .40 and a 220 .45. Both guns in great shape. The 226 was like new, rarely fired if at all. The frame is Germany. I really would like a 9MM because I have ammo and my Beretta is 9mm and my next carry will probably be 9mm.

Secondly is the 220. It is a pre unification West German 220 with the bottom button mag release. This gun is in great condition being over 25 yrs old. The dealer says it will be a collectors' pice because of it being a West Germany made gun.

I'd like to know if you think the 226 is worth buying where it seems like a lot of people are selling off their .40's. It's priced below market value and like I said looks almost new.
Then there's the 220. Do you think it would be sought after because it's a West German gun?
I like the idea of the .45 but not the bottom button mag release. This gun would be $100 more. What would you do?
 
Both of these are great guns and would serve you well. The only question with the P226 is the caliber - would you be happy with it in .40? I would recommend it in 9mm but I don't know how good the .40 version is.

A lot of people (me included) feel that the P220 is one of the best 45's out there. The heel-mounted mag release is not the worst thing in the world although most of us seem to prefer the standard American position. I would probably try to talk whomever is selling it down a bit. While it is desireable I think it falls short of being a true collector's piece. Maybe for diehard Sig fans, but that's about it.

Would you look under the front portion of the P220 for a proof mark and some letters. If you tell me what the letters are I can let you know when it was manufactured.
 
Queen Bee said:
I dont see a reason to buy a gun in a caliber you dont want...

So in this case i would go sig 220
Click to expand...

You're probably right.
So, here's the reason why. The 226 is priced at $550 which I would already own if it were a 9MM. It is that nice condition wise.
The 220 is $650. If it were a collector's piece it would be worth it but I don't think it is a steal like the 226 at that price.
 
Check with Sig, I think you can get a 9mm barrel and use the 9mm mags and have the best of both worlds. I did this with my Glock 23 which is 40 cal. bought a 9mm Storm Lake barrel and 9mm mag and I have 2 guns in 1. Check it out and buy them.
 
BigAl23 said:
The dealer says it will be a collectors' pice because of it being a West Germany made gun.
Click to expand...

Lol. They made about a million of them. I have a couple west german Sigs, I wouldn't (and didn't) pay an extra $100 for any of them especially one with a euro mag release.

There's nothing wrong with a .40. If you like it and can afford it, buy it.
 
grizquad said:
Check with Sig, I think you can get a 9mm barrel and use the 9mm mags and have the best of both worlds. I did this with my Glock 23 which is 40 cal. bought a 9mm Storm Lake barrel and 9mm mag and I have 2 guns in 1. Check it out and buy them.
Click to expand...

They make 3rd party conversion barrels, but Sig's 9mm barrel won't fit properly in a 40/357 slide.
 
BigAl23 said:
You're probably right.
So, here's the reason why. The 226 is priced at $550 which I would already own if it were a 9MM. It is that nice condition wise.
The 220 is $650. If it were a collector's piece it would be worth it but I don't think it is a steal like the 226 at that price.
Click to expand...

Neither of those prices is really much of a smoking deal to be honest. $550 is about average for a used 226. The 220 should be about the same, maybe even less with the euro mag release.

I'd look to the classifieds and find a private sale, maybe post a WTB ad. You tend to see a lot of 220s and 226s in there.
 
BigAl23 said:
Was looking at a 226 .40 and a 220 .45. Both guns in great shape. The 226 was like new, rarely fired if at all. The frame is Germany. I really would like a 9MM because I have ammo and my Beretta is 9mm and my next carry will probably be 9mm.

Secondly is the 220. It is a pre unification West German 220 with the bottom button mag release. This gun is in great condition being over 25 yrs old. The dealer says it will be a collectors' pice because of it being a West Germany made gun.

I'd like to know if you think the 226 is worth buying where it seems like a lot of people are selling off their .40's. It's priced below market value and like I said looks almost new.
Then there's the 220. Do you think it would be sought after because it's a West German gun?
I like the idea of the .45 but not the bottom button mag release. This gun would be $100 more. What would you do?
Click to expand...

I saw a 226 in .40 at NEArms, it was like the $1200 Elite model, unsold at like $600. They can't give those away, if it's a regular 226, I wouldn't pay over $500. Just get the 9mm.

And the West German models P226/P220 are worth $650-700 in great condition, dunno what the dealer considers "collector's price."

Edit: saw your prices, both are just average, look for a 9mm P226, or a P220 with the US mag release in great condition at $650. Shouldn't be hard to find, but the 9mm will cost more than $550 if it's West German.
 
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Thanks all. The 226 has been in his shop now since July so I guess it's not a great deal. I shouldn't compromise anyway, I really want a 239.
 
Yes the 239, and 229, are excellent choices in 9mm.. i would love to own a 239 one day

- - - Updated - - -

Buy that new legion series 229... wink.. until you see the price tag lol
 
Queen Bee said:
Yes the 239, and 229, are excellent choices in 9mm.. i would love to own a 239 one day

- - - Updated - - -

Buy that new legion series 229... wink.. until you see the price tag lol
Click to expand...

I love the Legion 229, it's beautiful. Gunbuyer has the Legion 226 for $1079 today, but I'm sure it's not MA compliant so they won't ship it here.

And at that price it'd just stay locked up, so I think I'd rather put the $1100 toward a rifle.

- - - Updated - - -

Queen Bee said:
Yes the 239, and 229, are excellent choices in 9mm.. i would love to own a 239 one day
Click to expand...

It seems kind of big and heavy for a single stack . . . ? Sigs in general seem a bit heavy to carry, but I know many do.
 
For me the 239 is more of a fun gun than a SD gun. Its a smooth shooting firearm. But with that said, i will carry my glock 19, or 42 over the sig 239 anyday due to weight
 
Alloy framed P 226s have been known to crack around the rails after hard use and SIG does not cover this problem via warranty.
 
I own both and they are great. Covers 9mm, 40 and 45 calibers, great if you ever run into trouble finding for any of the three.

I picked up the P220 and it was the most expensive handgun I purchased to date. After owning and shooting all the various Ruger, S&W, Beretta, H&K, I decided to sell all of them and purchase another Sig, P226 in 40. Reason? I got a really good deal for an unfired one with 3 mags and 250rds of ammo for $700. I then went to Sig Academy store and picked up the caliber exchange kit in 9mm extreme version and had them install the RST trigger. Now both my Sigs have the RST trigger and G10 grips.

For me, the best of all the worlds.
 
OP-

go w the P220 in 45. that's a great pickup and keeper of a gun especially if W German production. If you were already into .40 then the P226 would make sense, but my personal experience has been that maintaing 2 handgun calibers isn't a big deal but jumping to 3 calibers became a PITA (especially on range trips).

WRT the Legion series, what a joke....let's slap some cheesy new grips and an extra 2 slide serrations and call it a whole new gun. whatever.
 
Squib308 said:
WRT the Legion series, what a joke....let's slap some cheesy new grips and an extra 2 slide serrations and call it a whole new gun. whatever.
Click to expand...

It's a new frame (for higher grip and lower profile, snag-free etc), night sights, 3 mags, PVD coating, SRT and Grayguns adjustable trigger (whatever that means) etc. Most importantly, it looks cool. Yeah, maybe a ripoff at $1300 MSRP, but it's already selling for $1080.
 
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